


Ember's of a Dragon's Heart

by Melody55



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/F, F/M, Mentions of Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-01-15 18:33:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18504688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melody55/pseuds/Melody55
Summary: In order to save her brother, Jacob, and her other friends, Alice Murphy has to sacrifice herself to the last Cursed Vault. Ten years later, the Vault is opened again and Alice is saved, but what has changed? how has being in the Vault for ten years affected her and the ones she loved?Warning: There will be spoilers to the Hogwarts Mysteries in later chapters. Read at your own risk!





	1. Broken at Last

Time didn't exist in this place. The walls of the vault were slathered in magic, creating a barrier between space and time. Yet, I have still aged. I can feel it. I don’t grow tired, no matter how hard I fight. The heat of summer never seeped through the cracks, and the same was said for the cold of winter. The dimly lit stone room sat with stale air. Still, I still bundled up in the sweater that I entered in. My wand works, I can cut my hair and play music to pass time, and I can think of ways to escape, though there are none.

I can remember my adventures at Hogwarts and I can remember my friends. I can remember the pain in their eyes as the vault door closed between us. I can remember the slumped form of my brother, being held up by Barnaby and Charlie. I can remember the spells that spilled from my friends wands, trying to stall the doors. I remember the Celestial Ball, planning Hagrid’s birthday, the OWLS and NEWTS, and so many more things that couldn’t be cast away by a simple obliviate. 

I had remembered them so much that it might as well have been a movie. I had remembered them so many times that I had lost track of time. How long had I been here? 5 minutes? 5 hours? 5 years? My mind wracked over the possibilities.   

I groaned and slumped against the large center statue. I looked up and scowled, “I bet this is so funny for you, isn’t it?” I accused. “First you take my brother, then you take me?” I huffed and my head moved to stare straight. “Well it’s not funny for me,” I quietly said. Murmurs touched my ears, and I rubbed my eyes with another groan. “Great, now I'm hearing things.” I was wondering when I would start to go mad. The murmurs, now soft voices, seemed to grow closer. After however long I had been in this bloody place, my mind finally seemed to snap. Still, the voices drew closer and more clear.

My heart raced as I realized that it was real. There was actually someone else inside the vault. I jumped to my feet, but stumbled back when a wave to weakness took my body over. With every echo of a step, my head grew lighter and lighter. My skin heated and my eyes started to darken till they were completely black. My hands tapped around the statue, trying to hold my weight up, but soon my ears went from ringing to completely silent. As the veil of silence came down upon me, I could barely recognize the voices that had entered the room, some that called out my name, others asked questions or barked orders that i could barely comprehend. I vaguely remember my weight being lifted, but nothing after that. 

As my eyes began to open once again, my skin cooled down and my hearing cleared, I could smell a salty breeze. I could hear peaceful crashing of waves upon a sandy shore, and I could feel warmth and softness of, what I presumed to be, sheets and blankets that laid upon me. I took in a deep breath and dared to move my head to the side. My eyes narrowed on a petite blonde woman who worked in the corner. Her back was facing me, but I could clearly see the light blue dress that flowed around her as she worked. A cough came from my throat as the dryness tickled the back of it. The woman’s head whipped around, her face seemingly surprised. 

“You’re awake,” her soft voice exclaimed, a thick french accent resonating on each letter. 

“Uh- yeah,” I began, trying to prop myself up. I groaned at the pain that struck my head. 

“Careful,” the woman urged, quickly making her way to the bedside. “Here,” she said, helping me while propping pillows up behind me. Before I could say anything, she rushed over to the table she had been working at and quickly joined me, sitting on the side of the bed with a cup of water in her hands. 

With a small smile and a weak, “thank you,” I accepted the glass and downed the entire thing in mere moments. I sighed happily as the cool water covered my throat, a sweet relief to the dryness. 

“Of course,” she responded, “Let me get the others,” she began to rise to her feet, but I reached out and grabbed her hand. 

“Wait, please,” I pleaded. “Where exactly am I? And who are you?”

She smiled lightly. “My name is Fleur and you are in my home, Shell Cottage.”

“I’m in France?” I questioned. 

She laughed lightly and shook her head. “No, you are still in England,” she assured me. “When we found you in the vault, we brought you back here to recuperate and heal.”

“We? How did you find me?”

“My husband and some of your old friends knew you were in there, and knew where the vault was. The curse on the Vault has been completely broken.” She smiled brighter.

“Your husband? But how did he-? Who is he?” My eyes narrowed as my heart beat faster. How could an outsider know where the vault was, as well as who resided in it? Unless-

“You’re awake,” a soft and familiar gasp shook me from my thoughts. My eyes shot to where the sound was made and my jaw dropped at the sight of who was in the doorway. My eyes began to water and my hands drew to my mouth as I saw a tall red-headed man. A new scar was slashed across his face and his features were more worn down than I had remembered, but it was the same man. It was still Bill Weasley.

“Bill,” I breathlessly said, almost a soft sob.

Within a moment, he had strode across the small room and enveloped me in his long arms. A sob left my lips as I pulled him tighter, a laugh echoing in the back of my throat. Bill Weasley, the Bill Weasley; Gryffindor Prefect turned head-boy, the one who had no intention of settling down, but every intention in becoming a Curse Breaker, was in front of me, holding me tightly.

“Alice.” I could hear the quiet sob and sniffle that he tried to hide, and I pulled away, taking a closer look at him. “Alice, it’s- it’s been a long time,” his smile faded slightly.

“How long?” I dared question.

“Ten years,” the petite blonde answered. 


	2. Missing Chapters

My heart dropped.”Ten years?” The word fell from my lips. Bill nodded. “I lost ten years of my life?” I exclaimed. 

He nodded again. “After the vault closed, we tried to get you out, but everything changed. We all did as much as we could. Years passed and we still couldn't find anything. The vault seemed to be locked. We figured out that, as long as the curse was intact, someone had to be sacrificed to the vault, to be kept as its prisoner.” 

“Hermione and Rakepick were the ones to figure out how to break the curse,” the small blonde added. I made a mental note to ask who Hermione was.

“And that was last month,” Bill finished.

“What did I miss?” I asked, afraid of the answer. 

With each word they spoke, the list grew. Each name written in stone and each memory made that I missed, every scar that never healed and every relationship that bloomed or died during my capture had pricked my eyes and heart. My lips quivered and my cheeks stung with the salty streams that fell from my misty blue eyes. 

Dumbledore, Tonks, Snape, my own parents, and Fred had all fallen during tragic times, along with Ben and multiple others. Ismelda had joined and died with the Death Eaters, while Barnaby and Liz, who were forced to join by their parents, were serving a short sentence in Azkaban. And since he had ended up switching sides in the end and helping everyone against Voldemort, Barnaby had only been jailed for a year. The scar on Bill's face was from a battle with Fenrir Greyback, and Fleur, having already battled in the Triwizard Tournament, had become a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Penny had become a potioneer, and Beatrice had followed as an Herbalist. Rowan had been tortured, but lived, and Jae had vanished during the war. Andre had followed his dreams and had become a famous Quidditch player, and Diego decided to work at the Three Broomsticks before becoming a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. 

Every little fact made my head spin, until Fleur gently placed her hand in mine. “We know that this may be- overwhelming,” she began, “but we thought that you might need to know.”

“What about Charlie and my brother?” The words pushed out of me as I realized that neither had been mentioned. 

“Charlie's in Romania, still training and rescuing dragons.” Not much of a surprise. “And your- he,” Bill hesitated, wringing his hands and looking down before his eyes met mine again. “Your brother,”

“I think we should let her rest, don't you?” She asked, yet almost warned her husband. “We have already given you so much information. Why don't we let you soak it all in first?” She had said, turning to me. 

I silently nodded, knowing that something was wrong, but deciding not to push. At least, I wouldn't fight for now. With a small smile from Fleur and hug from Bill, I was left alone, to process what the day had brought. 

The next time I heard from them, Fleur had prepared a steaming hot french dish that made my mouth water and my stomach happy. The conversation had turned from death to celebration. Fleur had brought out her wedding albums and I couldn't help but smile at the happy Nymphadora Tonks, next to her husband and Charlie. Both had told me of their adventures during the ten years, and Bill and I reminisced of our own adventures at Hogwarts. Fleur and I had both laughed at how Molly had hated us when she first met us. She had hated me for my impeccable ability to get her sons in trouble, as if they wouldn't have gotten into it themselves, and she hated Fleur because she thought she was a stuck up french princess. 

After dinner, we had traveled to the living room where I shared my experiences in the vault, which were few, and they told me how they broke the curse. After a few hours, Bill decided to retire for the night, leaving Fleur and I to polish off our drinks.

“So I must ask,” the petite blonde began, “how long were you and Bill together?”

Tea sucked into my lungs, causing one of my hands to go to my mouth as the other set the delicate cup on the table in front of me. It took a few moments for me to regain a steady breath as one hand covered my chest. “What?” was the first thing that slipped out of my lips.

“You and Bill, how long were you together?” her french accent asked once more.

“I’m sorry,” I laughed, “but Bill and I were never together.” I paused, “I mean, I did have a crush on him for about a month in my second year, but that faded quickly.” I informed her. “Nothing happened between him and I."

"Forgive me, you two just seemed very close."

 I nodded. "We were. Our group of friends basically had to be with everything that happened. And even then, some turned on each other because of the supposed spy." I took a sip of my tea again and continued. "He, Merula and I were chosen to follow Rakepick and help her into the last vault. I guess he and I bonded the most out of it, but he was always into hard work and discipline. I always wanted to be free like the animals i took care of. And everyone knew that I would break just about every rule to help my friends and find my brother."

"You sound like Charlie," she smiled softly. I blushed and looked down at my empty cup.

"Charlie and I went on adventures together more than anyone. He was always so passionate about dragons." I let a laugh escape my lips. "There was even one time when he thought someone was selling a dragon egg. To him, that would have been the grand prize. So, I helped him earn enough money. It was almost too bad that it turned out to be an Acromantula egg. We almost got killed when we tried to return it." She hummed with a small smile.

"Tell me, was there another reason you and Bill never got together?"

 I furrowed my brow. "What do you mean?"

 "I mean that, maybe, you had feelings for someone else." My eyes widened and my cheeks flamed. Fleur laughed, her hand going to her lower stomach once she placed her cup on the table. I smiled at the realization.

 "Tell me, Fleur, why exactly are you so interested in my friendship with your husband?" My brow rose as my lips curved into a smirk. "If you're worried that I might try and take him, then you don’t have too, yet I think it may be something else." Her smile dropped into slight shock. "For as long as I've known Bill, he's always been loyal to the ones he loves. And i can tell that he loves you more than anything. Well, there may be one thing that he would love more." I paused, seeing her shock turn into fright. "Your child," I finished in a whisper.

 Her eyes went to her hand, that still rested on her lower stomach. She was still skinny, so she had to be only a few weeks, maybe two months at most, but the touch was always instinctual. Through my years at Hogwarts, I had helped deliver many baby creatures. Each creature acted differently, but yet, all the same. Each mother became more protective. A usually friendly Abraxan would steer clear from anyone but its own, and a Grapplehorn would become more aggressive. Fleur became protective of her partner while also worrying about her baby. It was all the same signs.

"Does Bill know yet?" I dared to ask. She shook her head.

 "I received the news the day before we set off to break the curse. I have had no time." She seemed sad. I reached out and grabbed the hand that rested on her leg. She looked up at me and smiled. "The doctors told me that I am 7 weeks along."

 "When were you going to tell him?"

 "Once you were settled, I was going to make a nice dinner for him, and tell him then."

"Don't let me get in the way. You said that Rakepick was visiting tomorrow, correct?" She nodded.

 "Then I'll meet her for dinner tomorrow and while I'm gone, you can tell him."

She agreed and the plan was set. An owl was sent out to tell Rakepick of the changes and Fleur seemed as excited as ever. For the next few hours, before either of us were tired, I told Fleur of my experiences with the Weasley's and my friends. She laughed at the story of the frog bath, claiming the Charlie still wouldn't take baths. I laughed but I still get bad. I knew I had to put the frogs there to get Peeves' attention, but I didn't know that the victim would be Charlie. Once he figured out who had done it, he had been mad at me for a week. I felt as if I had betrayed him, but he understood why I did it once I got to talk to him and explain myself.

She told me of his bachelorhood and how she had never seen him look at anyone with as much love as he had for his dragons. I smiled, knowing that, if he could, he would probably be happy with his dragons his whole life. Though, we knew that Molly would demand grandchildren from him some day. Fleur had also mentioned that Bill had seen Charlie look at a woman with more love than anything, though he refused to tell who. My brows furrowed as I thought of the women we had known. I knew that he didn't fancy Rowan or Merula, Tulip or Lizz. Had he liked Penny or Tonks, and I just never noticed? 

Noticing my confusion, Fleur had gone to say something, but stopped, instead telling me that it was late and that we should head to bed. I agreed with a yawn but the thoughts still clouded my mind as I laid in bed.

Memories played through my head, the words that we had exchanged so long ago were still clear. He had only ever mentioned a girl once. His blush reached his eyes as it was clear that he was thinking of her. It was the day of our Amortentia lesson and the smell confirmed both of our thoughts. Mine had smelled of a warm fire, freshly cut grass, and cinnamon hot chocolate. He never told me what he smelled, but he immediately grew quite once he smelled it. He had practically bolted from class once it was over, and when I confronted him about it,  he had said that he had smelled 'her.' I tried to ask who she was, but he refused, only saying that he had loved her for a while. He never mentioned her again.

 My eyes were finally able to rest with the image of his bright smile.


	3. Reunions

As the sun rose above the horizon, peeking into my room and kissing my cheek, a warm smile tingled my cheeks. My limbs stretched, my back arching while my fingers and toes touched the head and foot of the bed. I could hear the waves hitting the beach and rocks, and I could hear the soft footsteps of Felur moving about the house. 

I was alive and free. I could actually talk to other people and make-up for lost time. I could sleep on a warm and soft bed instead of a cold and hard ground. My limbs still ached and my mind still swelled with all of the information I had been told the day before. With a light sigh, I snuggled into the sheets, rolling over to close my eyes once more. It was a peaceful morning, something  that had to be cherished whenever it happened. 

“Where is she?” a loud voice boomed from somewhere in the house. I could hear Fleur try and hush them, saying that i was still asleep, though my eyes were wide open at the demanding tone of the question. 

“Oh Fleur, you should know not to try and shush her,” a familiar voice laughed. 

“Murphy,” the first voice boomed, loud boots coming my way. Merula? I sat up in bed, watching as the door swung open. My breath caught in my throat as the door swung open, a tall, dark haired  woman standing in the doorway. Her eyes were still as dark as when we were students, and she still had that light streak of brown in the front. She still wore her Slytherin colors, but a silver band was placed on her finger. Her tough composure, soon faded as she saw me. She exhaled and quickly made her way toward me. I froze as her arms wrapped around my shoulders. 

My eyes went to the doorway, seeing an amused redhead in her old Ravenclaw colors, and a fashionable Quidditch player beside her, a scarf still wrapped around his neck. 

“Thank God you’re okay, Murphy,” I heard Merula whisper as she hugged me tighter. Soon, her grip on me released and she stepped back.

“Merula?” the words fell from my lips. She laughed and nodded. “You actually hugged me? As if we were friends?”

She shrugged. “Things have changed since you were trapped,” I heard Tulip’s sweet voice say, stepping up to hug me, then stand next to Merula, their hands intertwined. My jaw dropped as I saw the sparkling diamond on Tulip’s finger, and the smile that was displayed on both their faces.

“Though you probably already know that,” Andre came forward, wrapping me in his arms with a tight squeeze. 

“You two got married?” I asked, pointing to the Ravenclaw and Slytherin women. Then nodded, Tulip resting her head on Merula’s shoulder. “You never told me that part,” I pointed at Bill, who stood in the doorway with his petite wife.

He shrugged, “Wasn’t mine to tell.”

“Yeah it was,” I laughed. “You and Fleur were the ones to explain everything to me, yet you leave some things out.”

“How are you feeling?” Fleur asked with a laugh, changing the subject of accusations. 

“Good,” I told her. “Ready to see everyone again.” 

“And they're all ready to see you," Tulip laughed.       

“But first, you need to face Rakepick,” Merula’s lip turned up. 10 years and she hadn’t gotten over what had happened to her, not that I blame her. Even I didn’t want to see her. 

“She says it’s pretty important,” Bill brought up. I nodded, my stomach sinking. 

After a few more minutes of planning and talking, the five of them decided to leave and let me get ready. When I was done, it was almost time for me to leave.       

The cafe that Rakepick had chosen to meet at was small and hidden. The walls were a mix of bricks and framed photos. It had the warm feel of The Three Broomsticks, but the mystery of the Hog’s Head Inn. The older woman sat in the back, a drink already in her hand as she reviewed paperwork. 

“I wish I could say that I’m pleased to see you,” I spoke up. 

Her eyes quickly looked up at me and she smirked warmly, something that she had done so many times when she was our Professor. “Alice Murphy, I can say it is a pleasure for me to see your smiling face once again.” Something about that statement seemed semi genuine.

“Rakepick, what did you want? We didn’t exactly leave on the best terms. I lost ten years of my life because of you.”

Her smile dropped. “And I am sorry about that. I did not know that the vault would need someone to stay.”

“You betrayed everyone that had ever trusted you. You used Hogwarts students, used me and my brother, tortured students and you let Sickleworth die to get you what you wanted. You did research on every vault, and you expect me to believe that you didn't know it needed a sacrifice.” My arms folded across my chest as my lips grew tight. 

She sighed, gesturing to the seat in front of me. “I am sorry, but I can not stay very long, but please sit.” Reluctantly, I did. A moment later, a waitress came over with a small cup of tea with two sugar cubes and a lemon on the side. I eyed it carefully, then looked up at Rakepick. “I remember how you like your tea,” she raised her glass to me. I didn’t respond. “Ms. Murphy, rest assured that I have paid greatly for what I have done. I have atoned for my sins, if you may.”   

“I find that hard to believe,” I scoffed.  

“Believe what you may like, what you find the easiest, but I have Changed greatly. I spent years at The Ruins, and I would still be there if Snape hadn’t gotten me to help against the Dark Lord himself.”

“Snape? You mean the man that despised you? The man who hated me for no reason, and the man that secretly evil at heart? That Snape?” I shot back with a laugh. 

Any sense of a smile dropped from her face. “Snape died protecting those he had grown fond of,” Rakepick nodded. “It was honorable and strong.”

I couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped through my nose. “And here I thought Snape never cared for anyone.”   

She grinned. “Snape hated everyone,” Rakepick reminded me. “Well, everyone except Lily, But either way, he stood his ground and protected students, faculty and heroes alike, just as he had done with the vaults.” My brows furrowed and she hummed. “He was always watching you from the shadows. He was hard on you so that you may break the curses. Secretly, I knew he cared for you and your brother. He knew your strength and determination would help protect those around you. You were smart, and of that, he respected you. He may have shown himself to be cold, but his heart was as warm as a dragon’s fire.” She paused and took a sip of her drink. "But as much as I would love to reminisce, I do mean business."

I smiled softly and nodded. "You usually do."

"Do you remember that offer I gave you and Bill?" I nodded. "Well, we have an opening coming up and I recommended you. But the Ministry wants to hear back from you sooner rather than later." 

My face grew stale. "How long?"

"You have a week."

"Will I be joining or replacing?"

"Replacing."

"Who?"

"Me." The words died in my mouth. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "After all I had done, I knew I would not be welcomed back with open arms. I atoned for most of it, but I had made a deal with the Minister that when you were freed, I would retire. I have had my share of adventures, and it is time for me to leave. When I am gone they will need another Curse Breaker, and I believe you to be the perfect fit." I only nodded. Her pocket watch sounded and she sighed. "I have to take off, and I know you need time, but think about it." I nodded and she stood. A warm smile crossed her face as she reached out and grabbed my shoulder. "It's good to have you back, Alice."

"Thanks, it's good to see you again too." With that, she nodded and left.  

With that revelation, I sat stunned. I hadn’t even been back a few days and things were already expected of me. Decisions had to be made too soon. After a few moments of silence, I stood and left, but not before popping one of the sweet sugar cubes in my mouth. 

I needed to talk to Bill, but I still had time left to kill. I had, after all, promised Fleur until 10 at night, and it was barely 2 in the afternoon. What could I do? A walk down memory lane? Hogsmead it was. But I had to head to Gringotts first.

“Alice Murphy,” the head Goblin called my name as I walked up the counter. “I thought all of the Murphy’s were dead or locked away.”

I shook my head. “I was stuck in a vault, but very much alive,” I explained. 

He hummed. “I supposed you’re here to pull out money from your family vault.” I nodded. “Come with me,” he ordered. A door opened up to my right and I walked through, doing as the Goblin wanted. Wind rushed through my hair as the cart sped around the lower cave. The metal wheels screeched to a halt as we neared the vault. “Here we are,” he said, walking to the door. He paused at the door and sighed deeply, digging through his pocket. “Your brother left this with me. He said that if you ever returned, to give this to you.” He extended his hand, revealing the small gold key that belonged to this vault. 

So my brother had used it? How recently? How Depleted would our fortunes be? As soon as the door opened with both my key and the goblin’s, I had my answer. Gold, silver and jewels lined the walls. The old Portkey to the third vault sat in the corner, making me laugh. My brother did have a sense of humor. A wooden table stood in the center, a wrapped box on top. With a card. 

“He left that for you too,” the goblin quietly said. I nodded and thanked him. For some reason, my heart sank when I picked the package up. Running my hand over the small brown paper, I stuffed it in my bag and grabbed a pouch of gold, silver and copper, stuffing it in my bag as well. With what I needed, I headed back up and out of the bank. 

Hogsmead was only a few minutes away by using the Floo Network. So I had plenty of time to spare. But what did I want to do first? What did I need first? Considering that I had outgrown all of my clothes, and I was borrowing some from Fleur, I decided to visit the little clothes shop. 

It was different than what I remembered. It was bigger on the inside with multiple floors and clothes for every occasion. The bell rang as I opened the door and a petite old woman came from the back with a glowing smile. “Hello, dear, how can I help you?”

“I need some clothes. Mine are- well, it’s complicated.” I let out a small laugh.

“Well I’d love to help,” she emanated happiness and warmth. “Come with me and we’ll see what we can do.” Like I had done with the goblin, I followed her lead to the back room that was filled with even more clothes. “Now let;s see. I believe this, this and this would be perfect,” she mumbled to herself, picking up a few articles. In the end, I ended up with three bags full of clothes, shoes, a purse that I had put an extention charm on, and simple black sleeveless robe.  

As I walked out of clothing store, my smile dropped and my heart sank. Zonks, the place that Tonks had loved so much. Before I knew what I was doing, my feet were moving me toward the door. I had to push back tears as I saw Bilton Blimes laughing with a young customer. The shop hadn’t changed. My eyes misted as my fingers ran across the shelves, remembering all of the pranks Tonks, Tulip and I had pulled. I grinned at the frog soap that I had to use one year. I hated doing it, but it left us with fond memories. I laughed when I had spotted the Screaming YO-YOs, which Tonks and I had loved using in Professor Binns’ class. That old ghost shockingly slept through it all. 

“Alice Murphy?” I heard an old jokester’s voice gasp. I turned and smiled.

“Hi, Mr.Blimes.”

“It’s been ages,” he held out his hand. 

“Over ten years,” I responded. 

“My lord that’s been quite some time.”

“And yet, this place hasn’t changed,” I smiled.

“Never will,” He chuckled. “What can I do for you?”

I stayed silent for a moment, my eyes looking around the room. Eventually, they went back to the screaming Yo-Yos. “I was hoping to pick one of these up,” I replied, grabbing one and holding it up. 

“For you, of course. And since this is such a special occasion, consider it a gift from me.”

“Mr. Blimes, I couldn’t possibly-” I began, but he held his hand up. 

“I insist,” he graciously smiled. 

“Thank you,” I accepted. Knowing that I still had a few hours left, I chatted with Blimes for a while, then walked around Hogsmeade more. I walked by the bookstore, Honeydukes, and the music shop. I laughed as I passed the whole in the small tea shop that Barnaby and I had our “first” date at while Charlie and Tonk spied. In reality, it just felt odd to try and be affectionate towards Barnaby when the man I really liked sat a table behind me. 

Before long, it was time to get back to Shell Cottage and see how the love birds were. I hoped that everything was done. It was.

“Alice,” Fleur beamed as I walked in the door, “How was your day?” 

“Productive,” I answered. “Where’s Bill?” I asked, looking around the room. “Did the news scare him?” I teased.

Fleur laughed. “He was ecstatic about the news,”

“I’m going to be a father,” Bill thrust his fists in the air, a giant smile on his face as he entered the room. “Fleur, I can’t wait to tell everyone. Mom’s going to be so happy that she won;t let us be alone for days. We’ll have to Floo back here if we want to-” he stopped when he saw me, an amused smile on my face. His face turned red and I heard Fleur giggle behind me.  

“Don’t stop because of me,” I grinned. “You’ll have to sneak back here for what, Bill?”

“Uh-” he stammered. “To um- you know, to- or forget it, you know what,” he grumbled.

“Congrats, Bill,” I laughed. “You’ll be an amazing father.”

“You think?” He questioned, rubbing his neck.

“Considering all of the times you took care of all of us at Hogwarts, yes,” I truthfully answered. 

“So what did Rakepick want?” Fleur asked, as Bill walked up to her, slipping his arm around her tiny waist. 

I sighed. “She offered me a position- as a curse breaker.” Bill’s jaw dropped. He seemed confused and shocked,and I still felt the same. I never wanted to be a Curse Breaker, I just was because I wanted to save my brother. “She’s retiring and wanted me to replace her. She said I have to my answer within the next week.”

“Seven days?” Fleur gasped, “Is that enough time?”

“It has to be.” I answered.

“What’s in the bag?” Bill wondered, his eyes on the plaid bag beside me.

“Oh, I went by Gringotts and went shopping after. Thought that I might need my own clothes. Not that I don’t appreciate yours, Fleur,” I apologised.

“I understand,” she smiled sweetly. “So you are ready for our travels?”

I nodded, “We leave tomorrow morning?” I questioned.

“Actually, tonight,” Bill corrected, making my eyes widen.

“Tonight? Why?”

“There’s supposed to be a storm tomorrow. It would be better to leave sooner rather than later,” he explained. A wave of fear crushed me, catching my breath in my throat and warming my skin. I couldn’t face him so soon, could I? I had dreamed of our reunion for so long, but was I ready? “You’ll be fine,” Bill reassured. He sighed and clapped his hands together. “Well, since we’re all here and all our bags are packed, are we ready to head out?” I was frozen, yet my head was still able to nod slowly, my head spinning. 

My mind was blank. I was going through the movements; picking my bag up, throwing the power on the ground and calling out the place Bill had given me. But I couldn’t control any of it. I felt sick as I landed in an abandoned house in the woods. The dragons that roared were the least of my worries.   

“Alice, what’s wrong?” Bill teased. 

“Oh you know exactly what, Bill Weasley,” I snapped. Bill had known about my crush on his brother since my 4th year. At one time, he had even attempted to help me plan a date with Charlie after my note was read in class. I knew that he always rooted for us, and he had said many times that Charlie and I were perfect for each other. Too bad it didn’t turn out the way I had dreamed of in school. The closest I had ever come to a romantic moment with Charlie was when he had caught me after my broom broke during our Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff game. Being cradled in his arms was enough for me to blush furiously. I was afraid that I had matched his robes. Then again, anytime he had smiled, my cheeks had blushed, and it as worse when we were alone.       

  I heard Bill laugh, saying something about young love. “Leave her alone, Bill,” Fleur had clicked her tongue at him.  

“Let’s head out,” he suggested. “Charlie’s cottage isn’t very far from here.”

If it meant that he didn;t tease me anymore, I gladly accepted and followed his lead. A path ran through the trees, lamps lining it until the path opened up to a lush green field. The stars shimmered above us as we made our way to the warm light over the hill. Each step I took knotted my stomach and made my palms sweat.                          

“What if he’s not ready?” I wondered out loud, making Bill laugh.

“Are you joking? He may be a little stunned at first, but he will be happy to see you. He’ll be as happy as he was back in school,” he seemed to smirked at his own inside joke.

“Bill, it’s been 10 years.” I pointed out. “Maybe we’ve both changed too much,” as the words slipped through my lips, I realized how cliche I was being. Bill laughed once more before the sanctuary and village came into our sights. The massive stone walls of the sanctuary towered over the multi sized houses and buildings. Some had tiled roofs, while others had a roof made of thick woven straw. Bill had gestured to one of the homes on the edge, isolated in it’s own little field, claiming that Charlie lived there. 

For a moment, my feet stopped, frozen in their place. A gentle hand touched my shoulder, smiling at me lightly. “Don’t worry,” Fleur said as I took in a deep breath. “I know that he will be as relieved to see you as you will be of him. He will be much happier as well.” Her smile was still bright and gentle as she took Bill’s hand, the two of them heading to the small cottage.

As we neared the home of my old friend, I could smell the warmth of a fire. Smoke rose from the chimney, a sure sign that someone was home. My eyes had been pinned on the house so much that I almost hadn’t noticed the black little creature running toward us. It’s little heart beat as it passed Fleur and Bill, heading straight for me. My cheeks began to tingle with a wide smile as I help my arms wide open. I laughed as the, now grown, Niffler quickly climbed up my leg and nestled into my arms. 

“Argent,” I breathed out, embracing the silver stealing monster in my grasp. She squeaked and moved in my arms, obviously happy to see me. “It’s good to see you too,” I chuckled as she rubbed her face against mine.

“Argent,” I heard a familiar, yet deeper, voice sound, the door of the cottage busting open. “Argent where have you-” the voice paused and I looked up to see the owner of the smooth voice. My heart stopped as my eyes took in his new features. During our last year of Hogwarts, Charlie had grown taller and had added some muscle onto his thin body, but he had filled out even more within the last ten years. Obviously working with dragons had been a workout. His long sleeved shirt was rolled up to accentuate such muscles, the top two buttons undone to show off a new dragon tatoo on his chest. His rat-tail of hair was gone, now cut shorter. The only thing that remained the same was his bright blue eyes, fiery red hair and his constellations of freckles. “Bill, Fleur? What are you two doing here?”

“Well you wouldn’t return any of my owls, so I thought I would see you in person,” Bill half joked, bringing his brother into a hug. I smiled at the familiar sight of the Weasley brothers hugging, remembering when we were back in school. “We thought we would tell you the news before mum and the others, and even deliver a little gift to you.” I could practically hear the smirk in Bill’s voice.

“A gift?” Charlie laughed. “What the hell do you have to give me?” Time seemed to slow as his eyes looked over his brother’s shoulder, towards me. My grip tightened slightly around Argent, causing her to wiggle up to my shoulder. “Alice?” I could barely hear him whisper, his wide eyes pinned on me and his lips parted.

“Hi,” my voice matched his as my body trembled.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading. I have more chapters planned and I will update as much as I can. Thank you for your patience, and, as always, if you have requests, I am always open to doing small little one shots (And with me, they may also turn into multi chapter stories)


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